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ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS
THEORY AND PRACTICE
Systems, Complexity, and Assessment
By Michael A. Wright
© 2012 Michael A. Wright [email protected]
Individual Change
• Individual Complexity and Perception
Social Change
• Institution as Complex Adaptive Systems
Environmental Practice
• Social, Economic, Political, and Technological context of change.
© 2012 Michael A. Wright [email protected]
© 2012 Michael A. Wright [email protected]
Environment Individual Institution
Environmental Social
Political
Technological
Economic
Individual Biological
Psychological
Sociological
Spiritual
Institutional Complex Adaptive Systems
Control Systems [environment, individual, and interactive
effects.]
General Systems Theory
(Bertalanffy, 1934)
Humans
• Humans evolve in the
context of specifically
identifiable environments.
Human behavior is “real”
and observable
(Bertalanffy ,1969).
Are Organic Systems
© 2012-01-21 Michael A. Wright [email protected]
Cybernetics (Weiner, 1969)
Human Systems
• They have interactive and
feedback structures,
process information, and
construct meaning.
Are Dynamic
© 2012 Michael A. Wright [email protected]
Ecological systems Perspective
(BronfenBrenner, 1979)
Human Systems Are Complex
© 2012 Michael A. Wright [email protected]
Chronosystem
They have nested
effects influencing
meaning across
systems levels and
tied to events and
transitions over time.
Institutions and Agents in Systems Theory
Institutions
• They have specific
processes for transmittal
of environmentally
supported culture and
enforcement of rules. The
resultant culture and rules
are expressed in values,
beliefs, and expectations
linked to environment and
events over time.
Individuals
• Systems theory allows for
a holistic approach to
assessment that includes
the environmental
complexities that impact
the choice behavior of
individuals within the
system, also called
agents.
© 2012 Michael A. Wright [email protected]
BioPsychoSocial-Spiritual Assessment
(Engel, 1977)
Individual Complexity
Biology
Psychology
Sociology
Spirituality
Influences Individual Reality
Reality
© 2012 Michael A. Wright [email protected]
ME
INDIVIDUAL COMPLEXITY
Complex Adaptive Systems
Sociological Complexity
• This means that humans,
when in groups, exhibit
behaviors that are not
necessarily expected from
any one of the individuals in
the group TOWARD stability,
purpose and order. They are
driven by heterogeneity: the
more different the
individuals, the more
complex the system.
Exhibits interactive effects
© 2012 Michael A. Wright [email protected]
ME
YOU
OTHER
US
INSTITUTIONAL COMPLEXITY
Control Systems
Complex Adaptive Systems Are predictable.
• Group behaviors are
unexpected but
predictable if
characteristics are known:
Environment, Individual
profile, Interactive effects.
The outcomes of systems
can be modeled: Agent-
Based Modeling
© 2012 Michael A. Wright [email protected] ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLEXITY
Environment
Client Pre
Controllables
Client
Post
Interact Interact Interact Interact
Basic Hierarchy
• Individual
• Institution
• Environment
© 2012 Michael A. Wright [email protected]
Environment Individual Institution
When an event occurs…
Individualized Assessment
Perception of Self in Environment - Reality
Institutional
Individual
Environment
Ecological Assessment
• What is the economic,
political, technological,
and social environment?
• What are the interactive
effects of the intersection
of person, environment,
and institutional
exposure.
• What is the assessed
profile of the individual?
© 2012 Michael A. Wright [email protected]
WE ARE CONCERNED WITH…
A Matter of Context
Contextual Factors
• Social
• Economic
• Technological
• Political
Central Questions
• What were the exposure (infamy or fame) circumstances and expectations prior to the choice?
• What were the financial circumstances and expectations central to the choice?
• What technologies were enhanced or hindered capabilities?
• What policies are pertinent to the execution of the choice?
© 2012 Michael A. Wright [email protected] ENVIRONMENT
A Matter of Control
Major Institutions
• Marriage & Family
• School
• Business
• Faith & Volunteerism
• Health Care
Central Questions CS = Control System
• What are the individual needs and expected behaviors as the client enters the CS?
• What routines and values are communicated through the CS?
• What are the controls implemented during execution of the CS?
• What is the expected outcome of the CS?
• How is feedback used after exit from the CS?
© 2012 Michael A. Wright [email protected] INSTITUTION
A Matter of Choice
Major Assessment Areas
• Biology
• Psychology
• Sociology
• Spirituality
Central Questions
• Is the choice age appropriate and not the result of disease?
• Is the choice informed from multiple and competing sources?
• Is the choice free from undue influence except that it maintains the culture of the in-group?
• Is the choice based on factors that are not readily observed or are unique only to the client?
© 2012 Michael A. Wright [email protected] INDIVIDUAL
